Photo: bigstockphoto.com/shisuka
The gospel describes upheaval and disagreement in the Christian community. There will always be need of a dispute resolution process because people will disagree with one another.
Perhaps we need to take conflict resolution seriously? We need to learn how to argue and disagree with one another in the Church and come to conclusions that are worthy of the people who make up the community.
The gospels are full of stories from Jesus who promotes forgiveness as an essential part of being a disciple. In this section of St Matthew’s gospel, he describes the structure of dealing with issues that cause consternation in the community.
We are culturally individualistic, we struggle with disputes with family, friends, at work and twist ourselves in knots. As the injured party, according to the gospel, we have to take the initiative and ‘have it out’ alone with the person or party who caused us grief. This is very difficult to do.
Then the gospel promoted a process which was known to the Jews as a part of their culture. Processes were in place to handle disagreements. But what happened when the community comprised Jews and Gentiles? The Gentiles would have been unfamiliar with this process but the community still had to struggle to resolve issues.
If the process did not succeed or broke down St Matthew directs that the guilty party or the recalcitrant person was to be treated as a tax collector or a pagan.
This seems odd to us because we know that Jesus sought out the tax collectors and pagans to bring them into the light. It seems to intimate that they are to be tossed out not allowed to stay?
One answer might be that though an issue cannot be resolved, then the guilty party is still to be treated as a brother or sister in the community because that is the way Jesus acted. How hard for the innocent party to be expected to do this when they are innocent.
On the other hand, the ‘guilty’ who reject the charge or who cannot face up to their responsibility is also asked to treat the one who confronted them with an open heart and a willing spirit. How hard can that expectation be?
Two things come to mind. The first is that this is a Christian community finding its way, learning what it means to be a Christian. It was suspect but the Church grew, it continued to grow despite troubles without and within.
Secondly, the community had the words of Jesus to guide them, inspire them and challenge them.
A sense of authority was given to Peter and a sense of authority also existed in the community. Though slavery still existed in the community, a sense of worth existed because of the presence of Jesus. The extraordinary promise that when two or three of them gathered, they knew Jesus was present, close to them.
His power was present to enable them to let go, to forgive, to be a community with one life.
Columban Fr Gary Walker is currently living at the Columban house in Sandgate, Brisbane.
